The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-03-31

mite treaty of peace was signed by
the boundaries of the U. S. ,
was fixed at the Great Lakes, on {
the north Florida ceeded back to !
Spain on the south, and the Mis- !
sissippi river on the west.
The close of the war found the
young Nation in a weak condition.
The country was involved in debt,
the treasure was empty, and under
the Articles of confederation the
government had no power to APP
propriate money for debts incur
red by the war. The individual
states we're then called upon, but
their efforts. to raiseNmeney by
direct taxation produced great OPP
position, especially in Pennsyl
vania, where it grew to an open in
%surrection known as "Shays Re
bellion," 1877. These Articles had
been adopted during the war 1871,
which suited for the time being,
but when the States become thor
oughly united, and to the different
order of affairs, it. become neces-
sary to have a more potent nation
al government.
Afconvention was called at once,
which met at Philadelphia, for the
purpose of revising the Articles of
Confederation. This convention
with Washington as president, was
composed of talent and statesman
ship, scarcely to be equalled by
any nation. This body met May
18th, 1887, and after thorough in
vestigation of the subject, and dis
cussion of the same, they adopted
the present constitution. As L
have said this convention-was com
posed of some of the wisest and
best statesmen that America or
the world has ever known. There
was Franklin now 81 years old,
who had done valuable service to
his country, England and France,
and whose practical wisdom made
him the ablest founder of the Con-
stitution. Robert Morris, who had
suffered the sinews of war by his
own unquestioned credit; there
were Hamilton, Lincoln, and Mad
ison, who by their profound study
of English law, led them to know
how to adapt principles of truth
and Justice to the needs of a free
and Independent people. The con-
stitution was adopted Sept. 18th,
: 1887, and in 1888, eleven States
: ratified it, and therefore went into
effect. This was the first time in
! the worlds history, where four mil
lions of people were by their rep
/, resentatives to choose a govern.
ment for themselves. And from
that stand point it gave origin to
). two political parties: the Federal
! lists and the Antifederalists, or Re
! publicans the former favored the
t constitution and advocated a cen
{ tralized government the latter ad.
G vocated the doctrine of States SOY
: erignty, and opposed a centralized
:, government. Hamilton, Madison
n and Jay were the leaders Of the
) Federal party. Thomas Jefferson
was the great head of the Anti-Fed
. %eralist or Republican party. W.
. have now given the causes which
brought about this mighty Revo
= luton and shown the effects of tn
+ same, which ctarted us up i'll TIL
|, world as a nation, and give us sui
{ fcient grounds to boast OF GU
e mighty Republic, the home of tn
= the brave and the land of the free
> We cannot help looking upol
i our fore-fathers with kindness ant
. say from the depths of our hearts
, that they can never be repaid TO
I the sufferings they endured, an
= the loyal blood hat was shed t
free this mighty land from Eng
.e lands grasp; and given to thei
! descendants a land which canno
= be surpassed in the developemen
u of her natural resources-and i
le the grand state, to which the il
J tellectual capacity of her inhab:
a tants has risen. A country tha
:, has developed it's national Re
y sources unparalleled III the his
le tory of the world. countr
" which finds a place among nation
- for it's Literature art and Inver
ton. And being SO naturally {
~ dapted to the Natural pursuits {
~ man, and given to them the facil
a ties by which they can enter upo
!. these pursuits, and make her
leading nation ofthe world in Ayr
~ culture, Manufacturing, Mimi
~ and Commerce. We should h
thankful for the privilege of Twin
:. in this grand Republic. One {
=. - the grandest governments in tn
H. world, where Simplicity, Ha:
y mony, Justice, Intelligence an
friendly relations exist so long q
II